India's NSG bid has become 'more complicated': China

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BEIJING: China on Monday said India's membership bid in the NSG has become "more complicated" under the "new circumstances" as it again ruled out backing New Delhi's entry in the grouping, saying there should be non-discriminatory solution applicable to all non-NPT signatory countries.

China has been blocking India's membership in the 48-nation grouping which controls the nuclear commerce even though India has the backing of majority of the members.

The group goes by consensus approach on the admission of new members.

"About the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) it is a new issue under the new circumstances and it is more complicated than the previously imagined," China's assistant minister of foreign affairs Li Huilai told media briefing here.

He, however, did not elaborate what are the new circumstances and complications.

"China supports the NSG to have consultation for reaching non-discriminatory and universally applicable solution, applicable to all members of the NSG," he said.

Pakistan has also applied for the NSG membership. While China has not openly supported Pakistan's membership, it came with a two-step approach which stipulates that the NSG members first need to arrive at a set of principles for the admission of non-NPT states into the NSG and then move forward discussions of specific cases.

Last month, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media that there is no change in China's stand on admission of non-NPT states into NSG, ruling out any chances of India's entry into the elite grouping.